Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann Appears Before Akal Takht Over Golak Remarks
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann arrived at the Golden Temple in Amritsar on Thursday. He appeared before the Akal Takht Sahib Secretariat to address his remarks on the Golak issue. The Public Relations Officer of Shri Akal Takht Sahib confirmed his attendance.
Presentation of Documents During the Appearance
During his appearance, the Jathedars presented important documents to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. They handed him a copy of the monthly Gurdwara Gazette magazine. This magazine relates to the Sikh code of conduct. They also provided letters from the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee. The meeting took place with Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargajj and Jathedar of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib Giani Tek Singh at the Secretariat.
Clarification on Timing and Prior Engagements
Earlier on Tuesday, Bhagwant Mann made a statement about the summons. He claimed he had not demanded a change of time to appear before Sri Akal Takht Sahib. The summons came after alleged statements against Guru ki Golak. Mann expressed his readiness to be present at 10 am on January 15 as originally demanded.
In an X post, Bhagwant Mann wrote a detailed message. He addressed the Jathedar Sri Akal Takht Sahib Ji directly. Mann stated he had no other engagements on January 15. He mentioned providing information at the office of the Honourable President Ji. The day of January 15 was fully dedicated to Sri Akal Takht Sahib in accordance with the orders. He clarified that no official letter or statement regarding a time change had been issued from his side or his office. Mann affirmed his readiness to be present with humility at 10 AM on January 15. He ended with Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh.
Akal Takht Secretariat's Notice and Response
This response followed a notice from the Akal Takht Secretariat. The notice stated that Bhagwant Mann had cited prior engagements and sought a change in timing. The Sikh body then asked the Punjab CM to appear at 4:30 pm on January 15 instead of 10 am.
The Secretariat wrote a formal notice explaining the situation. They referenced letter No. A: T/26/561 dated 05 January 2026. This letter invited Bhagwant Mann to give his explanation on 15 January 2026 at 10.00 AM at the Secretariat in Sri Amritsar. The notice mentioned that in his statement, Mann referred to his engagements. Therefore, as per the order issued by Respected Singh Sahib Jathedar Sri Akal Takht Sahib Ji, it was written that he now had to reach the Secretariat at 04.30 PM on 15 January 2026 to give his explanation. The notice ended with thanks.
Request for Live Broadcast of Clarification
Earlier, on January 8, Bhagwant Mann had made another request. He asked the Jathedar to live broadcast his clarification on January 15. Mann took to X to express this desire.
He wrote that he was receiving messages from all over the world. People wanted a live telecast on all channels when they go with the account of the Golak on behalf of the sangat. Understanding the sentiments of the sangat from around the world, Mann requested the Jathedar Sahib that his clarification be directly broadcast. This would allow the sangat to stay connected moment by moment and penny by penny in the accounting. He concluded by saying see you on January 15 with evidence included.
The appearance on Thursday marks a significant moment in this ongoing issue. It highlights the interaction between political leadership and religious authorities in Punjab. The focus remains on transparency and adherence to the Sikh code of conduct.
